Fighting With Fire
by ilovenascar
Summary: A lightning storm brings disastrous results. The second installment in my 'Dreams' series. CA, TN. Finished
1. Chapter 1

Title: Fighting with Fire 

Name: April

Disclaimer: The only characters I own are Amelia (Amy) and Ryan McGregor.

* * *

Claire McLeod Ryan woke up still dressed in the clothes from her day, to the sound of the horses upset. She looked out the window just as the lightning caught the stable on fire. "Tess!" She scrambled out of bed, running downstairs to her sister's room. "Tess!"

Tess McLeod stuck her head out of her room and saw her sister's face. "What?"

"The stable's on fire. Stay here with Charlotte; Amy will bring Ryan. If the fire gets any closer to the house, get them in the ute, drive to Wilgul. Call Kilarney; have Harry send some help." Tess ran upstairs to get her niece while Claire ran outside.

Meg Fountain, Drovers cook, hand, and surrogate mother, met Claire outside. Amy McGregor, Drovers new station manager, took her daughter in to Tess and came back out. "I called Kilarney. Meg, I need you to make a ditch between here and the house. Amy, get the horses into the paddock." Claire opened the stable doors, letting Amy get the horses out before Claire started trying to put the fire out.

Tess was worried the fire would get to the house, so she fastened the children in the ute and drove down to the end of the driveway after getting in touch with Harry.

Alex and Nick Ryan were coming back from Fisher, Alex going to see a new horse he and Claire were discussing buying, and Nick going to buy something for the farm. Alex wasn't sure what scared him most, the fire, or the ute at the end of the driveway.

Nick stopped at the ute. Both men and Tess got out, Nick holding his girlfriend, Alex looking at her. "Claire and Charlotte?"

"Charlotte's with me. Claire's at the stable."

"Bloody hell." Alex took off at a run, as fast as he could, towards his wife.

Nick looked at Tess. "Take the girls; go to Kilarney. I'll call when it's safe."

"I don't want to leave. Drovers is my home too. I want to help," Tess said stubbornly.

"You're going to help, Tess, by getting Ryan and Charlotte where Amy and Claire don't have to worry." He kissed her cheek. "I love you." He got back in his ute, driving towards the fire, as Tess did as he and Claire had asked.

Alex found Meg, Terry, and Amy digging the ditch aroundthestableas the others tried to put out the fire with anything they had. "Meg!"

Meg looked up at Alex. "She and Harry are trying to put out the fire." There'd been men to replace Claire, but Drovers was her home, the stable and horses were her dream, and she couldn't not work to save them. "Charlotte?"

"Tess is taking her to Kilarney; Ryan's with her," Nick said, trying to reassure the women.

Alex searched through the thick black smoke until he found his wife about to pass out. He took her in his arms, carrying her to safety, and then took her place until it finally began to rain, putting the fire out.

Meg, Harry, Alex, Amy and Nick ran to shelter and looked at the black ashes, all that was left of the stables. No one talked for minutes that seemed like hours, not quite knowing what to say. "The barn's not too bad," Meg said softly. "And the fire didn't touch the house."

"The horses are scared, but Claire can fix that," Harry told him, knowing how much the program meant to his son and daughter-in-law.

"Where are Tess and the kids?" Amy asked.

"Kilarney. I'll call her." Nick turned to go inside the house to use the phone as Meg and Terry turned to go back home.

Alex started to pick Claire up and carry her to bed when he noticed the blood. "Meg!" She came running back and saw, closing her eyes, knowing.

"I'll send for the doctor," Harry said, going to find some way to help.

* * *

Nick looked at Tess when she returned. "I'll take Charlotte to stay the night with us," Amy volunteered, taking the kids to her quarters.

"What is it?" Tess asked Nick. "What's going on?"

He took her hand. "It's Claire. The doctor's with her...Meg thinks she lost the baby." Tess looked shaken, like she'd been hit, and he held her for a few minutes.

"Alex. Where's Alex?"

"Inside with Dad and Meg." He took her inside and she sat down beside Alex, for once not knowing what to say.

The doctor came down a few minutes later. "Alex, Harry, I'm so sorry." He paused. "She'd already lost it before I got here."

Tess watched Harry react. For a man the rest of the world saw as hard, heartless, he looked devestated. The family knew, whatever had passed between him and both of his sons, he loved Alex, he loved Claire like a daughter, he loved Charlotte, and he had already been attached to this grandchild as well.

Meg bit her lip, never one on crying, but knowing how excited Claire had been about the baby, about Charlotte having another brother or sister. With Jodi away, Claire and Tess were like her daughters and she hurt, knowing what they were going through.

Tess remembered the day Claire had found out she was pregnant. It had taken four months of trying and she'd found out the day before Charlotte's birthday, only a week ago. Claire'd been so sick for so long and then Alex's crash had frightened her into being more careful this time.

Nick put his hand on his brother's arm and Alex moved away, not wanting to be touched. "Can I see her?"

"Not tonight. I'm sorry. She needs her rest. I'll come back out in the morning to check up on her. We'll see then." Nick walked the doctor out and the family just stood there, frozen in their tracks.


	2. Chapter 2

Amy brought Charlotte back in the house early the next morning before starting chores. It was Tess who put her arms securely around her niece, holding her. She sat down in the rocking chair in the nursery after helping the little girl get dressed and sang to her. 

As soon as Meg was awake, Nick left Tess in her care and helped his dad and Terry move the horses to Kilarney stables. Wilgul didn't have enough room and, at Kilarney, someone could still carry through with the contracts, no one would lose anything else. Nick had his doubts about moving them the day after the fire and Claire lost the baby, but acknowledged the fact that Claire probably wouldn't be able to domuch and that Alex probably would want to be with her and Charlotte.

Alex was still in the chair outside Claire's room when the doctor arrived again. The glimpse of Claire that Alex got when the door opened terrified him. She was pale, still, and, for the first time, seemed almost fragile.

When Nick came back, he took Charlotte downstairs to feed her breakfast so that Tess could be upstairs to hear what the doctor said. She stood by Alex as the door opened, giving her the same view that Alex had earlier, and closed.

"I gave her something that will help her sleep. She needs rest, to eat, take her for a walk, some form of exercise, make things as normal as possible for her. There's still some damage, but she'll heal and she can have more children."

Alex went inside the room, not knowing how to say, like he'd felt when Jack died, unable to do anything to help his best friend. She was asleep and he brushed brown hair from her face, touching her cheek softly. They were both good at visiting sick neighbors, going to funerals, but when it came to actually sitting in a room, trying to say something, they were both at a loss. When Peter had broken her heart, he could do something, talk her through it, help her move on with their horse program, almost beat Peter up, but there was nothing he could do here. He didn't know how to help. Suddenly he stood, needing to get out of there, unable and unwilling to think of Claire like that for a minute longer.Tess watched him go and then sat beside her sister, throwing the pills away as she had when Claire'd been given them after Peter, then holding Claire's hand, staying with her.

Meg and Nick looked up when Alex came back downstairs. "How is she?" Meg asked.

"Asleep." He looked at Nick. "Where are the horses?"

"Dad, Terry, and I moved the horses to Kilarney." He looked at his brother, recognizing the look on his face. "No. No way. Claire needs you. We'll handle it; you need to stay here and take care of the girls."

"Tess is with her." He walked out.

"I'll take some breakfast up to Tess," Meg said, putting some toast on a tray.

"I'll do it."Nick kissed Charlotte's soft hair, handing her over to Meg,and went upstairs to his girlfriend.

Tess came out, not hungry. She'd been thinking about her parents again, how her mother had loved Jack so much thatshe'd tried to kill herself, how Claire had been hurt so badly by Peter, noweveryone was grieving over this baby. Loving anyone, husband orchild, just didn't seem worth it."I think we should stop seeing each other," she told Nick quietly.

"Tess, we can't stop seeing each other; Wilgul's right..." He looked at her. "Oh. Tess, just because..."

"I don't want it." She went back to her sister and he went downstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Tess sat beside Claire on the porch. It was the first morning Claire had gotten out of bed and, although her eyes were red, there were no signs of tears. "Claire, why don't we go inside and get dressed? You can eat something and then we can go over to Kilarney, see the horses, or you can play with Charlotte. I know she really misses you." Claire let Tess lead her inside and got dressed, coming back outside. "Okay, what about going to Kilarney?" Claire shook her head. "I know Alex really would love to see you. You could help him. You're so good with the horses. Maybe you could ride Blaze or Phoenix?" Claire shook her head. 

Charlotte climbed onto her aunt's lap and Tess brushed her hair, singing and whispering stories to her. It had been a week and, as far as Tess could see, she and Meg had become Charlotte's parents. Alex practically lived at Kilarney and Claire would be near Charlotte, but couldn't bring herself to play with her. A merc pulled up and a man neither girl knew got out. "Ms. McLeod?" Tess left Charlotte on the porch and went over. "Your papers." He left and Tess read them silently to herself.

"What is it?" Meg asked, coming up from chores to make lunch. Tess showed her. "Bugger!"

"What?" Claire asked, looking at them both.

Tess went up to hand the papers to her sister again. The first two times Claire read them, nothing clicked, but the third, she was furious. "Bastard!"

"I'll call Kilarney; have them send Alex home," Meg said, going to the phone.

"No. I need to talk to Nick." He knew more law than Harry or Alex; he had to know a way to stop this. Claire got in her ute and drove towards Wilgul.

When Nick saw the ute pull up, something in him hoped that, against all odds, it would be Tess, come to her senses after a week. It was bad enough that his brother almost lived at home again, but everyone was throwing everyone else that they loved away. He was surprised to see Claire and climbed down from his ladder. "Long time no see." He studied her. "What's wrong?" She handed him the papers and he scanned them. "Does Alex know?" She shook her head. "Okay, first thing is to let him know. I'll go over to Kilarney and tell him; we'll both meet you back at Drovers." She nodded and he watched her leave before getting into his ute and driving towards Kilarney.

* * *

Harry stood watching his son, not sure what to do. He knew Alex needed to go home to Claire and Charlotte, but, for once, was ready to admit that yelling or bullying would not get him there.

Alex cursed under his breath, unable to get the stallion to cooperate without Claire there. She had a way about her, a way most people called horse whispering, only it didn't just work on horses. It was one of the things he loved most about her: the way it mingled withher fierce passion and determination. He'd heard, when he was still single, married people talk about their 'better halves'; he'd always thought it was sentimental mumbo-jumbo, just something they told themselves to make marriage seem like less of a trap. He'd seen his parents' marriage and, if that was any taste of love, he hadn't wanted it. Then the whole mess with Peter had come to a head and Claire had gotten pregnant. Although he'd thought of it as helping out a mate when he'd first started lying for her, something in her eyes, something about Charlotte, grabbed hold and just wouldn't let go. He couldn't imagine life without either of them. If he and Nick hadn't come home when they had, he could have lost more than the baby they'd wanted so badly. He could have lost Claire...maybe even Charlotte too. That would have killed him.

He was jolted from his thoughts by the sound of his brother's horn as his red ute sped up to the corral. "Alex! Dad!"

Harry turned his attention to his youngest son. "Nick?"

The blonde hurried over to them, the papers in his hands. "Peter's suing for custody."

Alex looked at him in shock. "What?" Harry asked, his eyes forming the look both sons knew well. He took the papers from Nick, reading over them. "Where's Claire?"

"Back at Drovers. She brought the papers to Wilgul; I told her I'd come tell Alex."

Alex was already out of shock, his emotions mixing between wanting to kill Peter and wanting to get to his daughter and Claire, if she'd let him near. Alex took the papers from his father, reading them over, as Nick drove him home to his family.


	4. Chapter 4

Alex ran to the porch when they arrived, wanting to hold Charlotte, only to see Claire had a secure hold on her already. Claire looked a little better since the last time he'd seen her, not as pale, but still thin and tired. He could tell from her eyes she was angry and stayed near Nick and Meg. 

"What happened?" Nick asked.

"Peter's solicitor brought the papers and gave them to me," Tess said. "That's all we know."

"Endangerment...he means the fire? That could have happened anywhere, even to him," Meg looked at the two groups, sisters together, Claire holding Charlotte, brothers together, neither by the women.

"He said something once...before Charlotte was born," Nick said, remembering his talk and Peter's promise that he'd do whatever it took to get Claire back.

"He's always been a bastard," Tess said quietly. "But I never thought he'd do something like this. If he wanted custody, he would have filed when he put his name on the birth certificate." There was little doubt in her mind that Peter was doing this to hurt Claire and Alex, not because he missed the daughter he'd only seen once or to give his girls a sister.

* * *

Harry drove into Fisher, going to the address he had, watching Peter play with his children. He didn't know what he was going to do, just knew that he would never allow his family to be torn apart like Peter was threatening. He knew how much Charlotte meant to Alex, the same as Alex meant to him, and losing Charlotte on top of everything else would destroy Claire.

Peter spotted Harry get out of his vehicle and sent his children inside. "You're not supposed to be here."

"I want you to drop the suit."

"Why should I?"

"You're doing this to get back at Claire and my son. You haven't seen her since you signed her certificate. My bet is you have never lost one of your children, never even came close. You don't know what it can do to a parent."

"The stables caught on fire. It could have been the house. My daughter could have been killed."

"She's not your daughter!" Harry's face got red, his arm and chest started to hurt, and he blacked out.

* * *

Nick escorted Claire back to the living room to lay down with her headache. She hadn't let go of Charlotte, so the little girl was having an early nap. Alex walked the grounds, alone until Tess caught up with him.

"How is she?" Alex asked.

"A little better. She got dressed today, after Peter pulled this stunt she seems more awake. She's obviously still having her migraines, probably because she won't eat."

"She looks a little better."

"Alex...you have to stop this. You need to move back home."

"I am. I don't want to be away from Charlotte."

"Claire needs you."

"If I'd been here..."

"She would have lost the baby then too. It wasn't you being gone, it wasn't the fire, it just happened. And she can't get over it alone and you can't get over it alone." She looked up at him. "You know you two have always done better when you're together than apart." He couldn't argue with that.

* * *

The phone rang and, Amy, in for lunch, answered it. "Drovers, Amy."

"Are Claire or Alex there?" Peter's voice came over the line.

"They're not available. Can I take a message?" She asked, unaware of who he was.

Nick walked over and she handed him the phone. "Nick here."

Peter's jaw clenched and said it straight out. "Your father's dead."

"What?" Nick asked, disbelieving.

"He had a heart attack. The doctor's bringing him back to Kilarney." Peter hung up.

"Nick?" Amy asked quietly. "What's wrong?"

"My dad's dead," he said with an almost unheard whisper.

Amy ran outside to tell Alex, who ran inside to be with his brother. Tess looked at Amy, putting her hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Amy nodded, wiping her eyes. "You should go see Nick."

"You're sure?" Tess never liked walking away when anyone she cared about was crying.

"Yeah. I'm going to check on Ryan." She walked away and Tess went back to the house.


	5. Chapter 5

Claire stood with Alex at the wake, his arm around his wife, holding his daughter. "Where's Nick?" Claire whispered to Tess. 

"I'll find him." She watched Peter Johnson, unable to believe that he'd actually had the nerve to show his face. "You'll be okay?"

Claire nodded. "Find him."

Tess knew exactly where to look. She found him in his mother's garden, alone under a tree. She sat on the bench beside him and he looked over at her, eyes red from tears. "Everyone's here."

He nodded. "Yeah. I...I just need a little while."

She held his hand, thinking of how she'd felt when her mom and Jack had died. "Alex and Claire are together again."

"Dad would have liked that. He always liked you both."

"After Claire lost the baby...My mom tried to kill herself, waiting on Jack. Then when Claire lost the baby, how badly she hurt, we all hurt...I shouldn't have pushed you away. I'm sorry. I just...I just love you so much that I'm scared of getting hurt like they did."

"My dad didn't love my mom, Tess. Alex and I loved her, but he didn't. Their marriage was arranged...I always told myself I wouldn't let that happen, no matter what Dad and Jack said. I couldn't be happier for Claire and Alex, because they love each other...they love each other the way I always wanted to love someone...the way I love you." She turned to look at him. "I'm not going to rush you...but you can't run from love."

She squeezed his hand lightly. "I'm not running."

Claire found her way to Nick and Tess when they returned. "Harry's solicitor wants you and Alex in the house."

"We have to do this today?" Nick asked her.

Claire nodded. "And there's something else." Tess went to get Charlotte. "I want to set up a time for the girls to get together. It'll start when Charlotte's ready. Just the girls, not Peter." She looked at Tess and her daughter, then back at Nick. "Alex and I are okay now...Charlotte may have sisters, brothers...but if I don't do this, she'll never know her family. What would I do without Tess? Or you and Alex without each other?"

"Did you talk to Alex?"

"He agreed...but on one condition. It wouldn't really work for Tess, Alex, or myself to go with her to chaperone the visits."

"You want me to."

Claire nodded. "You haven't tried to kill Peter and I trust you."

"I'll do it, Claire."

She hugged him. "Thanks." He caught up with Alex and Claire found Peter.

"It wasn't my fault," Peter told her.

"You're right. It wasn't totally your fault. Here's how it's going to be. When Charlotte's old enough, Nick will chaperone visits with the girls. Once a week, Sunday afternoon. I'll have my solicitor draw up the papers. You're not to be there."

"I'm her father."

"Alex is her father. When she's old enough to understand, I'll explain the rest. Until then, you won't tell her or let the girls tell her. It's this or nothing."

Peter knew from the look on Claire's face she wasn't backing down. "Okay." She walked away.

* * *

Tess watched as Claire came home, picking up Charlotte. "Do you want to go on a horse ride?" The little girl loved nothing better than sitting in front of her mother or father as they rode her slowly around Drover's.

"Claire, uh, wait." There was something Tess was feeling guilty about and wanted to tell her before they got back. Claire turned around to look at her. "Amy didn't stay to clean up."

"Is she seeing someone at Killarney?" Both girls had found the loves of their lives on the neighboring property; it wouldn't have phased Claire if Amy had too.

"No." She paused. "You know how Liz kept a secret?"

"Yeah..." Claire was a little suspicious of where this was going. With one of Tess's stories, with the Ryans, there was never any way to tell.

"Harry did too." She looked at Charlotte, not knowing how to phrase it. "Two secrets."

"Tess, what..."

Tess hesitated and then just spilled the secret that Harry and Amy had confessed to her. "Amy is Harry's daughter."

"What?" Claire had a shocked look on her face.

"She moved to Drover's because she wanted to know the boys. Harry made her promise not to tell anyone but I saw them talking and I made her tell."

"So Amy is Nick and Alex's sister..."

"Your sister-in-law," Tess added. "And Charlotte's aunt."

"And Ryan is Nick and Alex's niece."

"And Charlotte's cousin. And that's not all."

"Please don't tell me anymore." Her mind was reeling and she regretted not staying behind to help the boys comprehend this as well.

"I was Harry's witness when he rewrote his will. Well, one of them, Terry was the other." She paused. "He left all of Killarney to Ryan, Charlotte, and any other grandchildren he might have. Amy, Alex, and Nick have control over it until each child turns twenty-five."

"Well, that's definitely..." She thought about all the trouble Harry had put his boys through over the years, just to give it to his grandchildren.

"Harry. It's definitely Harry. At least we won't worry about our children or grandchildren...Between Killarney and Drover's, they'll be well taken care of."

Claire looked at Charlotte. "Yeah." She kissed the small girl's temple.

* * *

Tess handed Ryan back to Amy when she arrived. "Well?"

"Not good."

Claire went down to the utes when they pulled up, Nick's red one first, then Alex's black one. "Hey." She hugged Alex. "You want to talk for a little while?"

"Yeah."

"I'll take Charlotte," Nick said, taking his niece back to the porch.

Claire fit perfectly next to her husband, her hand on his back. "Things have been happening around here," she began.

"Yeah." He looked at her. "Are you sure you're okay?" She looked better than the night she'd miscarried, but still tired.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She rubbed his back. "What about you?"

"It's a little much. I mean, a week ago, we were having another baby, Dad was alive and driving us crazy, Peter was still out of our lives, and I knew what and who my family was."

"Let's address it one at a time. The baby...it's been about a year since we went to the city together. We don't have any contracts. Why don't we go back? We can take Charlotte with us."

He looked at her. "I'd love that."

"About Peter. He and Nick both agreed to it and it'll be awhile before she's old enough. He's taken care of...for the moment." She was wise enough to know that her ex-boyfriend would never completely be out of their lives.

"So what about Dad and Amy?"

"I talked to Tess. Amy moved here to know you and Nick. Harry wouldn't let her tell you. And you like her."

"It's just...no one in my family is who I thought they were. Harry raised me, but he wasn't my father. Mom had an affair; Dad had an affair. I have a new sister and a new niece."

"Your mom was seeing Bryce before they got married, not that different from me seeing Peter. You don't hold him against me or Charlotte."

"It was a year, Claire. You had stopped seeing Peter a year before we finally got together. Mom was seeing them both at the same time."

"Harry was your father, just like you are Charlotte's. As for family, you have Nick, me, Charlotte, Tess, Amy, and Ryan. Liz still loves you, even if she is thousands of miles away. I'd say that's a pretty big family."

He kissed her temple. "I love you. I'm just sorry it took so long to figure it out." She smiled at him, kissing his cheek, as they walked back to the house and their family.


End file.
